Luke 4:36

36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."

Luke 4:36 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 4:36

And they were all amazed
The people in the synagogue; they were astonished at his doctrine before, and now at his miracles:

and spake among themselves;
as they were in the synagogue,

what a word is this?
meaning, either what sort of doctrine is this which is attended with such power and miracles; or what a word of command is this, "hold thy peace, and come out of him?" and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "what is this mandatory", or "commanding word?" to which agrees the Syriac version, rendering it with the following clause thus; "what is this word", that "with authority and power it commands the unclean spirits, and they come out?" (See Gill on Mark 1:27).

Luke 4:36 In-Context

34 "Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."
35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.
36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."
37 And reports of him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
38 And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought him for her.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.